Mary Pryor, another Pryor from VA! She’s the mother of Reuben Meriwether found in the Sons of the American Revolution Membership Applications. Reuben Meriwether born 15 December 1743 in Goochland County, VA and later of Ann Arundel Co., MD, was a signer of the “Declaration of Freeman, the first declaration of independence. His father was Nicholas Meriwether (husband of Mary Pryor – or Prior). Using Reuben’s birthdate as a frame of reference, Mary Pryor would have been born around 1720, putting her in the same generation as the grandchildren of Robert Pryor and Betty Virginia Green. Yet I don’t have anyone in my database of Pryors who seems to match this Mary. Several months ago I posted about Pryor and Meriwether connections (https://tennesseepryors.com/kentucky-pryors/more-meriwether-connections-to-va-and-ky-pryors/), so we can probably add this Pryor to the list!
Category Archives: Virginia Pryors
You may be wondering why I’m so curious about Nathaniel Pryor of the Lewis and Clark Expedition and how he fits in with the Pryors from Virginia. His father was a John Pryor. My own Pryor ancestor who is also my “brickwall” was a John Pryor who owned land in Campbell County, VA. I would just like to get the John Pryors sorted out so we know who is who!
I found a John Pryor in the Report of the Virginia State Library, Volume 5 by the Virginia State Library, Calendar of legislative petitions: Amherst, Bedord, and Botetourt:
1803 Dec. 9. A909. Establishment of flour inspection at Bethel; place is convenient to people coming down James River from mountains. Richard F. Ellis, Burnett Jenkins, John Prior, Anthony Christian, and 125 others. Reported.
Then on 20 November, 1805, a Jesse Pryor is in the records.
A920 Division of county. William Jopling, Jesse Pryor, Robert Sebree, John Roberts, John Harding and 60 others.
I think this is the John and Jesse Pryor who were on the 1800 Tax List for Amherst Co., VA virginia-a-counties/ and that they were sons of Nicholas Pryor.
Everyone seems to be connected. Even when looking at James Pryor and other pryors from Jefferson County, Kentucky.
A Jefferson Co., KY will extract:
“Will of John M OFFAND Nov 23 1818, probated March 11 1822 gives to wife Henrietta Offand and after her death to his children; executor Henrietta Offand, wife, JAMES PRYOR, Fortunatus COSBY, and William MCKEEVER Jefferson CO.”
Forts. (sic) Cosby is on the 1820 Census in Jefferson County (Louisville). I looked around the Internet for some information on him and found that Fortunatus Cosby married Mary Ann Fontaine in Louisa Co., VA. 1 Nov 1785. From the Register of St. James Northam Parish, Goochland County. Ah ha! looks like he’s connected to St. James Northam Parish like the Pryors descended from Col. William Pryor and Sarah Wood.
The Cosbys look like they were well connected. The History of Kentucky: From Its Earliest Discovery and Settlement…, by Zachariah Frederick Smith. Fortunatus Cosby, probably the son of the Fortunatus named in the above) was the Consul General to Switzerland (Geneva) 1862).
I see researchers have James Pryor, brother of Nathaniel Pryor, died in Louisville around 1822. I haven’t found him on the 1820 Census, so can’t confirm if he’s the James Pryor mentioned in this extract.
It is interesting how these names get so tangled.
Revisiting the Pryors on the Kentucky frontier. Back to the Meriwethers again! I found this extraction of a document filed in Shelby County, KY. It names some Samuel Pryor, Daniel Farley
Shelby County, Book A, 1795-1804. Daniel, Robert, August 8, 1792. August 1797. Legatees Thomas, Coleman and Martin Daniel (bros.), John Daniel (father), Sukey Morris, Besty Merriweather, Martin, Reuben (last 3 children of sis. Clark). Ex. Martin Daniel, Nicholas Merriweather. Wit. Daniel Farley, Sam’l Pryor.
“The Encyclopedia of Louisville” by John E. Kleber states that Nicholas Meriwether was born 1749 in VA and died 1828 in Shelby Co., KY. He is purported to be the son of Frances Morton Merriwether (who later married Dr. Samuel Pryor of Goochland Co., VA). The same article purports Nicholas was the cousin of Meriwether Lewis of the Lewis and Clark expedition. Betsy Meriwether in this extract is probably Elizabeth Daniel, Nicholas’ wife. So the Daniels in this extract were his wife’s family.
Samuel Pryor in this extract is likely the son of Samuel and Frances, and the half brother of Nicholas Meriwether.
Daniel Farley married Marietta Pryor on 28 Sept. 1786 in Amelia Co., VA. It’s believed that she migrated to KY with her husband and was living in Henry Co., KY at the time of the 1810 Census. I haven’t seen any documentation, but Marrietta is often included in family trees as the daughter of Samuel and Frances Pryor.
So, is there a connection between Samuel Pryor who married Frances Morton Meriwether and John Pryor the father of Nathaniel Pryor who was part of Lewis and Clark’s expedition and also resided in the Kentucky frontier?
I was able to ID another “Price” in the census records who was actually a Pryor. William Paxton Pryor born 1822 in Kanawha County, WV showed up in the 1860 and 1880 censuses of the same county. I found that Ancestry.com had him and his family indexed as Price for the 1870 census.
William Paxton Pryor was the son of James also of Kanawha County.
James Paxton Pryor born 1776-1794 and Lucy Hudnall (James is on 1820 Census in Kanawha Co., and Lucy is head of household in Kanawha Co. in 1830 & 1840, later living with William Paxton Pryor. Lucy was born 1797)
Children:
Tipton J. Pryor b. 1820 in VA – 1850 in Cooper Co., MO
Sarah Pryor b. 1816 in VA, md Dryden Starke in 1838 in Kanawha Co., VA. – 1850 in Cooper Co., MO.
Mary Jane Pryor b. 1824 in VA, md Hudson Windsor – 1850 in Morgan Co., MO.
William Paxton Pryor b. 1822 – his mother is living with him on the 1850 Census in Kanawha Co. On the 1880 & 1900 Census William stated both parents born in VA.
James is most likely the son of Nicholas Pryor who married Sally Paxton. Nicholas was one of the earliest settlers of the Kanawha area.
Nicholas Pryor born before 1752
We know a bit about Nicholas Pryor from the declaration given by his brother William Pryor, recounting their adventures in pioneering the Kanawha area and service at Point Pleasant. Their older brother John was killed by Indians and Nicholas and William were in conflict with the Indians when they first tried to settle the area.
Children (with first wife “Mary”):
William b. after 1770. In 1797 married Sarah Tucker in Amherst County, VA.
Sarah/Sally Pryor b. abt. 1770. In 1795 married Robert Nichols in Amherst County, VA
David Pryor b. about 1770. In 1796 married Lucy Brown in Amherst County, VA
Jesse Bibb Pryor b. aft 1775-1778. In 1796 married Mary/Polly Nuckles (or Nichols?) in Amherst County, VA. He settled in Washington Co., KY.
Mary/Polly Pryor born about 1776 in VA. In 1804 married Moses Taylor. She is on the 1860 Census in Amherst County, VA
Children (with wife Sally Paxton, married 1782 in Amherst County, VA):
James Paxton Pryor b. about 1785
John Pryor born about 1787 in VA. In 1798 married Elizabeth Tucker in Amherst County, VA. He is on the 1850 and 1860 Census in Amherst County, VA
William Pryor born about 1730
Nicholas Pryor and his sister, Susannah Pryor Harriman Milburn were deeded land in equal parts by their father (William) in the area of East Bank, West Virginia. Susannah Pryor married 1789 in Greenbrier Co., VA to Shadrack Harriman. Harriman was killed in by Indians and Susannah remarried to David Milburn. In 1804 she deeded land in Kanawha Co. to her son John Harriman.
Children:
Nicholas b. before 1752. In 1810 he was living in Amherst Co., VA
Susannah b. about 1760.
William b. 1752-1754, in 1832 he gave a declaration about his service at Point Pleasant and names his brothers John and Nicholas.
John b. about 1750, died in an Indian raid in about 1780.
There’s some clarity to the like of William to Nicholas to James and later William Paxton Pryor and their activities in Kahawha County, but who are the other Pryors who settled in this region?
Luke Pryor b. 1774, m. Francis Johnson, Kanawha Co., VA
Children:
William b. 1806, VA
George b. 1808, VA
John b. 1811, WV
Samuel b. 1815, VA
Mary Abigail b. 1819, VA
Allen b. 1823, VA
1810 Census Luke Pryor was in Kanawha Co., VA. That’s the only record that shows him in this area. Researcher reports Luke Pryor died 1831 in Crawford Co., OH. His children Samuel, John, Abigail and Allen were all in Wyandot Co., OH in 1850. By 1860 Census Allen, John, and Samuel’s families were in Decatur Co., IA.
Abner Pryor and Allen Pryor (Allyn?)
Abner and Allen Pryor show up on the tax lists for Kanawha County in 1792, so it’s likely they were at least 21 years old by that time (born in the early 1770’s). In 1794 when the town of Point Pleasant was established, Allen was appointed a trustee. He may be the same Allen Pryor who was in Mason County in 1810 and 1820 (born 1775 or earlier). Sparse information is in online family trees indicating Allyn Pryor may be the son of Abner Prior and Abigail Allyn of Hartford, CT.
Are there any other Pryors who passed through or settled in the Kanawha area who we should add to this list?